Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Chase, Suspect Shot After Brandishing Weapon

KARE 11 News reports a police chase involving a vehicle suspected as having been involved in some of the aggravated assaults that have plagued the Twin Cities of late. The suspect allegedly brandished a weapon and was shot by officers: "Police chase ends in shooting".

A police chase in Saint Paul ended with a man shot and a church van damaged.

The van, from Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, was spotted driving erratically near Summit and Syndicate avenues. It is not known if the van had been reported stolen.

The driver fled police, eventually crashing the van about four and a half miles away at University and Beacon. Two squad cars were damaged in the chase.

Police say as they approached the van, they saw the driver reaching for something. Believing it to be a shotgun, officers fired two shots. The driver is at Region's hospital.

Minneapolis Police had been looking for the van earlier in the evening, because they believe it was involved in three separate aggravated assaults.